Farm and construction equipment owners, do you ever waiver back and forth when deciding which parts to buy for your machine?
It's the age-old question: Original or aftermarket? Which is actually the way to go?
The answer: It depends. Like many things, choosing what's best depends on context and priorities.
At Titan Machinery, we believe that when you bring your heavy equipment to your dealership, you should be confident that the techs and parts specialists providing you recommendations have YOUR best interest in mind.
To help, we're breaking it down for you here.
What are "genuine" or "OEM" parts?
Often referred to as "OEM" or "genuine," Original Equipment Manufacturer parts are replacement parts made by the same company (or manufacturer) that originally manufactured your machine. That means they've been developed specifically for your equipment's design, meet the intended safety and performance standards, and often come with a warranty from the manufacturer. At Titan, our customers lock in a 12-month parts/service warranty on genuine CNHi parts when a Titan Machinery technician installs them.
The benefits of OEM parts sound hard to beat, right?
Well, they are, and we're firm believers that OEM is more often the way to go than not. Even so, we understand that consumers consider aftermarket parts for a reason.
Are aftermarket parts good enough?
Aftermarket parts are replacement parts manufactured by a third party. They can be designed to fit a variety of makes and aren't guaranteed to be fully compatible or meet the safety and performance standards your machine's manufacturer has set.
That said, they do have some initial benefits. Which is best for you largely hinges on your priorities and how those fit into your budget. Aftermarket parts can be good enough, but we recommend fully understanding the pros and cons of each before deciding.
OEM vs. Aftermarket
Going head to head, the most prominent themes between original and aftermarket parts are choice, cost, and quality.
Choice
Because third parties develop aftermarket parts, any parts manufacturer who wants to manufacture and sell can do so—anywhere around the globe. As a result, buyers will naturally have more options, but with the caveat that there are also many more low-quality parts in that mix.
Cost
Aftermarket manufacturers often utilize inferior materials and less strict requirements, so they also tend to be notably cheaper upfront. Cheaper to produce means cheaper to buy. While this does not always make them more cost-effective in the long term, it makes them a popular choice for those prioritizing upfront affordability. Naturally, the higher quality and guarantee of OEM parts also come with a higher price tag.
Quality, Compatibility, and Lifespan
Quality, compatibility, and lifespan all work together. Your manufacturer designs genuine or OEM parts to precisely fit their equipment and applications using high-quality and durable materials. Selecting these parts guarantees compatibility that aftermarket parts cannot and usually comes with a more robust warranty. Additionally, because manufacturers do not oversee the standards of aftermarket parts, their quality can vary widely from one supplier to the next.
The takeaway
So, which is better?
Ultimately, what matters most to us is that you're using high-quality parts in your machines.
While you should determine what's best for your current budget and circumstances, Titan Machinery parts specialists are also here to help you weigh all the options fairly.
If you have a tight budget or only need a quick repair, aftermarket parts may be a suitable option for you. Just be aware of the tradeoffs you could be making in quality, dependability, fit, and warranty.
Meanwhile, if your machine is under a warranty that could be affected by the installation of aftermarket parts, you want more uptime between part replacements, or you want a guarantee the part will fit, OEM/genuine parts are the way to go.
Reman parts: an alternative to new for CNH owners
For CNH operators, there's a third solution.
Reman parts by CNH are remanufactured and "engineered specifically for CNH machines to provide good‑as‑new functionality through the entire assembly."
Reman parts are not recycled, repaired, restored, refurbished, or used. Rather, they are parts that have been "examined, reclaimed, and tested to original performance specifications" to provide you with a load of benefits, including:
- Good as new, improved parts:
Hindsight is 20/20, so these parts are as good as new and remanufactured with improvements for optimized performance.
- Availability: With thousands of CNHi Reman remanufactured replacement parts available for over 20,000 applications, our parts experts will find what you need.
- 24-month Warranty: Reman parts also come with a 24-month parts and labor warranty coverage that covers a wide range of genuine CNHi Reman parts and components, including Reman engine components*, Reman drivelines, Reman transmissions, Reman gearboxes, Reman electric, and Reman hydraulic.
- Peace of mind: Because genuine remanufactured parts get specifically engineered for your equipment, you'll minimize risks while increasing dependability and peace of mind.
- Increased uptime: Drop-in assemblies reduce labor hours and the risk of costly surprises often accompanying complicated rebuilds, saving you time, money, and stress.
- Lower ownership cost: Reman parts are competitively priced, plain and simple. You get great value and peak performance.
- Environment-friendly: Remanufactured parts require up to 85% less energy to produce so that you can contribute to a cleaner world.
Learn More & Shop Reman Parts
Whatever you choose, trust that Titan takes care of you.
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*Some exceptions apply - see your local Titan Machinery dealership for complete details.